Netherfield_Rogue Dragon_A Pride and Prejudice Variation Page 13

  Walker suggested to Nicholls that Fitzwilliam was a very good friend of Bingley, and Bingley would want Netherfield’s hospitality extended toward Fitzwilliam even as it had been toward Darcy. Walker managed to get her to accept the persuasion, but it was clear April was much more adept at the task than any cockatrice would ever be—they were unsubtle creatures at best.

  Hopefully, April would yet return to Elizabeth. She was a very useful creature to have around. Though he might not admit it aloud, at least not yet, her company was entertaining, even a little endearing. He missed having her about.

  He and Fitzwilliam settled into the small parlor to talk. Nicholls brought word that Elizabeth, though improved, would not be coming down for dinner. Darcy requested dinner trays be brought to the parlor. They made small talk until the trays were brought.

  “I am surprised to see you. I sent word only yesterday evening.” Darcy arranged his dinner tray in front of him. Not a fine meal, to be sure, but far better than anything they had at the public inns. “I know you are anxious for the egg to hatch, but this does seem a bit enthusiastic.”

  “If it were only that, I would have taken a wee bit more time. Unfortunately, nothing can be quite that simple.” Fitzwilliam hooked a small footstool with his toes and pulled it close enough to prop his feet. “I am a little surprised Elizabeth is not here with us.”

  Darcy explained his suspicions about the venom exposure. “Even so, I still think it worth the progress we made. While Longbourn will never be tractable, Elizabeth’s apology did much to smooth the way. I expect his cooperation on at least the most critical matters.”

  “Welcome news, indeed. I doubt mine will be, though. Perhaps, for the moment, it is best that we talk without Elizabeth.” Fitzwilliam tapped steepled fingers before his face.

  “I do not like the sound of that.”

  “Matters have become more complicated than expected. Things could turn rather ugly.”

  “From you, that is a very worrisome word. What are you suggesting?”

  “To sum up the pile of Order documents you will no doubt read later, reports of unrest continue to pour into the Order offices. While the more powerful major dragons do not feel particularly threatened by the possibility of a rogue, particularly one as weak as a lindwurm, the lesser major dragons are calling for assurances that action will be taken.”

  “Action has been taken. That is why we are here.” Darcy pressed the heel of his hand into his forehead.

  “The Order fears it may not be enough to quell the lesser-landed dragons.” Fitzwilliam balanced one foot on top of the other. “Unfortunately, that is not the whole of it. The emissary from the Eastern Dragon Federation is indeed missing. Gone without a trace.”

  “How is that possible? I thought you said the emissary was traveling via dragon tunnel—?”

  “She—we have found out that much about the emissary—was and had successfully passed through several of the checkpoints, but she failed to appear at one and has not been seen since. Several wyrms, large and small, were sent to scour the tunnels, and they turned up very disturbing news.”

  “Evidence the emissary has been harmed?” Darcy clutched the arm of his chair.

  “No, thankfully. That would be an entirely different level of disaster. The wyrms discovered branches and tunnels that were not on our maps. The entrances had been obscured, blocked in such a way that one who did not know they were there would not notice them. When the wyrms uncovered them, the scope of the tunnels was staggering—absolutely staggering. We have teams going through them now, but the task will take months at best, perhaps longer.”

  Darcy’s jaw dropped. “That many?”

  “The emissary could literally be anywhere in England right now, absolutely anywhere.”

  “At some point, she will grow hungry and have to come out to find food.”

  “With all the unrest about a rogue dragon, even though the Order has sent word that an Eastern Dragon has been invited to England and is expected—”

  Darcy stood and paced along the fireplace. “Any dragon lower than a major drake—and even some of them, come to think of it—is likely to defend its territory first and heed the Order only after they feel safe.”

  “Exactly.” Fitzwilliam’s expression was grim.

  “Dragon’s blood and fire! If the emissary is killed—”

  “We risk a domestic dragon war whilst trying to stave off a war from the Eastern Federation. Consequently, the Blue Order officers—human and dragon—have decided the only reasonable option is to end the threat of the rogue dragon immediately.”

  “Is that not what Elizabeth and I have been trying to do?”

  “There is no more time. An immediate resolution is required.” Something about the look on Fitzwilliam’s face …

  “No, they cannot possibly require that of you.”

  “Now that you are Keeper to Pemberley, you cannot possibly carry out the task.” Fitzwilliam’s foot dropped to the floor with a resounding thud.

  “We have been exchanging messages with the rogue. It knows I once carried the Dragon Slayer. He is already wary.”

  “Bloody hell! I am not surprised, though. I knew there had to be something more complicated going on since the creature was not already winding around Elizabeth’s ankles, begging to be scratched.”

  “She does make getting along with dragons look simple and easy.” Hopefully, Fitzwilliam could not hear the twinge of jealousy in his voice.

  “I am honestly surprised she does not already have an office with the Order. It seems as though they should have worked out a way to benefit from her acumen by now.”

  “I am sure Bennet and Longbourn are at the heart of that, keeping her close to home for their own ease. If she became an officer, then she would be spending a great deal of time in London and away from Longbourn.”

  “Something neither of them would much appreciate.” Fitzwilliam leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “I am not sure she should know I have the Dragon Slayer.”

  “I do not relish keeping secrets from her.”

  “I am afraid of what she may do if she finds out.”

  “You are exaggerating. Elizabeth is not inclined to throw herself into that sort of danger.”

  Was Fitzwilliam coughing or laughing? Maybe both. “You recall what she did when Pemberley hatched? You think it unlikely she would do such a thing again? Do not try to tell me you would forbid her. You and I both know that is impossible. Recall how she took on Cait when you brought her to Rosings.”

  “I still have nightmares about Cait clawing her eyes out for that.” Darcy threw his arm over his eyes.

  “Need I say more?”

  “What about Wickham and Lydia? Is there no concern that if you hunt the lindwurm they might become collateral damage?”

  “I would not say there is no concern, but let us be honest. Wickham is of no account to anyone. His death would not be difficult to cover with an appropriate tale if anyone even noticed. And Miss Lydia,” Fitzwilliam blew a sharp breath through the edge of his lips. “I am sorry, but it was her father’s responsibility to curb her behavior. His failure has led to this situation, so any harm to her would be upon his head. He should have been paying attention to the signs that she could hear and acted. The Order is not very sympathetic.”

  “She is to be my sister. I cannot take such a cavalier attitude.” Darcy jumped out of his chair and paced.

  “I assure you, I will do everything in my power to protect her. I do not wish to bring grief to Elizabeth, but certainly she can see that there is a great deal more at stake right now than just her sister.”

  “If it were Georgiana at risk, you would say the same?” Darcy dared not meet Fitzwilliam’s gaze.

  “You know how highly I regard her. But not even she is worth setting the world into dragon war and destroying everything Pendragon and all the generations since have worked so hard to achieve.”

  Damn it all! It was difficult to argue that point. />
  “With what the Order demands of me now, I wonder if I am truly fit to befriend any dragon, much less one of Walker’s line. If I am successful in my mission, I will be an anathema to all dragonkind.”

  “Cait specifically named you as Friend for her chick. That is not an honor one turns down lightly.”

  Fitzwilliam raked his hand through his hair. “I take no pleasure in any of this, to be sure. There is an excellent chance I will not survive, even if I am successful. Father did not say as much, but he did bring Mother to London and ensured I saw her before I left.”

  “There must be another way.” Darcy paced a little faster. “I am certain Longbourn must be aware of the lindwurm and at least tolerating it which means they communicate somehow. And the maps! If we can get into the map-maker’s rooms, we might be able to learn something more. Between the two, we may find some way to negotiate with the creature and prevent bloodshed.”

  “The map room is poisoned, is it not?”

  “Elizabeth believes an unexplored avenue in her father’s library may provide useful information toward countering the venom. Being in the library might well occasion us to speak to Longbourn himself. Perhaps he might even have some knowledge of Lydia. I am certain we will find another way. There must be one.”

  “I appreciate your faith, Darcy, but it is a luxury I cannot afford. I will go to Longbourn with you and learn as much as I can there. But I do not expect to find anything that will dissuade me from my mission.”

  ∞∞∞

  After a full day of rest and two more thorough baths, Elizabeth ventured from her rooms. Her skin was near raw in places from scrubbing, and her fingers might never stop resembling prunes. But her lungs no longer burned and the lingering ache in her joints had faded.

  How would Longbourn react when she told him how sick his bout of temper had left her? Probably despondent and recalcitrant, or stomping off in another fit of temper. He was always one for extremes.

  The morning sun hung high in the sky—so much for her preferred early start. The feather bed beckoned her back into its indulgent embrace. Only the threat of a rogue dragon was strong enough to shatter the siren song. She shrugged into a morning gown, pinned up her hair, and headed downstairs.

  Men’s voices, Darcy’s and Fitzwilliam’s, filtered from the morning room. Was it silly to miss having Darcy to herself in the mornings? Yes, and probably selfish, too. Much bigger considerations took precedence now.

  Darcy scrambled to the doorway to escort her to her chair, carefully tucking it in under the table for her.

  Fitzwilliam sat opposite the window, face lined with weary concerns that sleep had not erased. What could have happened in London? “It is a pleasure to see you out and about today, Miss Bennet.”

  “It is a pleasure to be out and about, I assure you.”

  “Would you care for something to eat? Tea or coffee, perhaps?” Darcy smiled carved dimples into his cheeks when he spoke, making it hard to refuse.

  He set a heavily-laden plate—enough to feed herself and two small dragons at least, and a cup of steaming coffee before her. She sipped her cup—oh, that was very strong!—and nibbled from her plate for a few moments lest she be thought too direct in her conversation. Probably no need to worry given the company, but the long-instilled habit was difficult to alter. “Dare I ask what news you have from the Order?”

  Fitzwilliam glanced at Darcy. Something about the expression seemed vaguely conspiratorial.

  “Things have naturally become more complicated—as they are wont to do when dragons are involved.” Fitzwilliam described the loss of the Eastern Dragon emissary somewhere in the vast tunnel system underneath England. “It is imperative we gain control over this rogue dragon situation as quickly as possible.”

  “No doubt.” Her mind whirled with possibilities. None of them good. “Since we are making little headway in our conversation with the lindwurm, perhaps it is time to seek Longbourn’s assistance.”

  Darcy’s brow furrowed with the worried-worn look he often wore.

  “I may be of some use with that.” Fitzwilliam reached over several piles to liberate a small stack tied with a blue ribbon. “Lady Astrid sent some material for you.”

  “Let us bring it to Longbourn house, then. Papa and I may study it whilst you help us scour the journals of past Keepers for further information.”

  Fitzwilliam groaned like a reluctant schoolboy. “I understand it is our best option. Whether or not we manage to find some miracle cure in those cryptic pages, I need to speak to Longbourn himself. Will you help me secure his cooperation? I hope he may be familiar with some of the tunnels in Hertfordshire and perhaps assist us in locating the lost emissary—”

  “Or—I imagine—at the very least you hope to extract his promise not to harm the envoy?”

  “That is the least I—and the Blue Order—require.”

  And the least Longbourn could rightfully offer. Pray let his stubbornness be softened today. “I will do my best to convince him to see you, and barring that, I will extract the desired promise from him.”

  “Forgive me, Miss Bennet, but how does one convince an obstinate dragon?” Fitzwilliam tapped his palms together.

  “Name a major dragon who is not obstinate. It is in their very nature. One does not become the apex predator by giving way easily, no? To criticize a dragon for being stubborn is like criticizing a horse for having four legs. But inflexibility does not equate to stupidity.”

  Fitzwilliam snorted under his breath.

  “Even a pigheaded dragon like Longbourn can see how he has everything to lose and nothing to gain in a full dragon war. The lesser major dragons suffer most in those circumstances.”

  “You are a difficult woman to argue with, Miss Bennet.” Fitzwilliam lifted his cup toward her. “She will not give you an easy run of it, will she, Darcy?”

  Darcy raised his coffee cup and winked.

  Several hours later, Darcy and Fitzwilliam took turns on the library ladder in Papa’s study, one to find books and the other to add them to the abundant stacks of books for perusal. Normally, the books on the floor comprised that part of his collection that did not fit on his shelves. But today, the group also included all volumes that might have material on lindwurms, dragon tunnels, wyvern poison, or young cockatrices—maybe twice as many piles as usual. With four people, a cockatrice nest and the egg, the room had progressed from cluttered to positively smothering.

  Elizabeth and Papa sat side-by-side in two wing chairs pulled very close to the fireplace and nesting box. He studied Lady Astrid’s monographs while Elizabeth scanned a journal from a Longbourn Keeper, three generations past.

  “I am beginning to wonder, Lizzy, if I do not need to make it to London a bit more often.” Papa looked up from the monograph and lifted his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. “Sending your mother and Kitty there with Gardiner yesterday was a matter of convenience, but perhaps we should do it more often, and I should accompany them.”

  Elizabeth nearly dropped the journal. “Excuse me?” She had leafed through the monograph on their way to Longbourn and found it absorbing, but not normally the sort of thing Papa would spend a great deal of time with.

  “Yes, I know, you never thought I would say such a thing, but this,” he tapped the monograph, “is making me wonder. This is absolutely fascinating work, fascinating. I wonder how much I am missing by not frequenting the Order Library. It is different to what they used to publish. It might even be worthwhile to resubmit that fairy dragon monograph.”

  “It certainly might. I know Lady Astrid would welcome you. She is a very gracious and entirely charming soul. Though she could easily make anyone feel quite dragon-dumb, she is so kind and thoughtful, that I hardly feel as stupid as she must think I am.” Elizabeth turned aside. The words had just tumbled from her lips, uncensored. She should have thought them through much more carefully.

  “I hardly think she considers you so, Lizzy. Gardiner has told me your commonplace book
has created quite a stir among the scribes and even the Lord Physician.” His tone did not convey approval.

  Her cheeks grew hot as she felt Darcy’s and Fitzwilliam’s eyes on her. “They are only my scribblings about my observations and experiences from the Blue Order business I attended with you.”

  “You were apt to write everything down. Always scribbling in that book of yours. I know your mother insisted on you girls keeping those books, but none of your sisters ever seemed to take it as seriously as you did. I wonder, sometimes, if you were full young to have been dragged from one side of the country to the other when you should have been in the schoolroom with your sisters.”

  “As I remember it, you brought me on your business trips because you could no longer hold a pen to write.” She clenched her fist, heart pounding painfully. “Not on some sort of capricious whim.”

  Papa polished his glasses with the end of his cravat. “Perhaps I should have hired a secretary to do that work instead. The Blue Order would likely have paid for it once I was installed as historian. You were exposed to too much, to too many dragons and their Keepers, far too young.”

  She shut the journal forcefully and stood, blood roaring in her ears. “I am sorry you feel that way.” She dropped the book on the chair and strode out.

  Darcy caught her eye on the way to the door, but thankfully he seemed to notice she was in no mind to be questioned and let her pass.

  “Lizzy! There is work to be done!” Papa’s voice was filled with an all-too-familiar exasperation that came out whenever she expressed an opinion he did not like. It had become so much more frequent in recent years.

  “I need air and to walk and think about all that I have read. That is part of the way I work, and I shall not be denied.” She slammed the door behind her.

  How kind of him to question the most treasured memories of her childhood, the events that shaped her into who and what she was today. Did she embarrass him, or was it that her presence sometimes led to surprises like April’s Friendship? He never did like surprises. Or was it simply because she was a woman, and he did not approve of the elevated position the Blue Order offered them? Or maybe modern Dragon Keeping threatened him and his precious dragon lore.